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Innovation in Learning

A A A A ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Modal verbs 5 - Past forms

Lesson code: 4B1H-H7IA-UNIH INTERMEDIATE +

1 Modal verbs for obligation, prohibition, necessity and advice

Study the table below.

Modal verb Past forms and examples

have to, must had to
I had to leave early this morning.

mustn't We cannot use mustn't to talk about the past. We use other structures,
for example:
We couldn't arrive late.
We weren't allowed to smoke.

needn't needn't have + past participle

You needn't have told him.
NOTE: I needn't have (done) and I didn't need to do are different.
I needn't have done something = I did something that I thought was
necessary, but now I know that it was not necessary.
I needn't have told her. She already knew.
If something was not necessary in the past, we use didn't need to or
didn't have to:
I didn't need to go to bed so early, but I was tired.
I didn't have to go to bed so early, but I was tired.

should/shouldn't should/shouldn't have + past participle

He failed his exams. He should have studied harder.
He failed his exams. He shouldn't have been so lazy.

Dialogue
A: Fabio, you needn't have come. Today's English class is cancelled. Didn't you get the email?
B: No, I didn't.
A: I'm sorry. I should have called you to make sure.
LE

1/5
AB

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Modal verbs 5 - Past forms lingua house
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A A A A ENGLISH GRAMMAR

2 Practice
Make a sentence about each situation using the structures on page 1. More than one structure may be
possible in some of the sentences.

1. Omar couldn't find his mobile phone, so he went to the shopping centre and bought a new phone. The
next day, he found his old phone.

Omar needn’t have bought a new phone.

2. Kate had a house party. She forgot to invite her friend Ross. Now he is very upset.

Kate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to invite Ross.

3. It was against the rules to use dictionaries during the exam.

The students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dictionaries during the exam.

4. According to the weather forecast, it was going to rain, so Peter brought his umbrella. However, it
didn't rain.

Peter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . his umbrella.

5. Clark told Maria that he was quitting his job. Now, everybody knows his secret.

Clark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maria that he was quitting his job.

6. I wanted to park in front of the bank, but there was a `No parking' sign.

I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in front of the bank.

7. The only available parking space was 100 metres from the bank. It was necessary to park there.

I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 metres from the bank.

8. Keith is feeling sick. He ate too much.

Keith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . so much.
9. Mark trained very hard every day for his judo match. In the end, the competition was cancelled.

Mark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . so hard.
10. David got up late. It was his day off from work.

David . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . early.

Now say something about you. Talk about something that you ...

1. needn't have done

2. shouldn't have done
3. should have done
4. had to do
LE

2/5
AB

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Modal verbs 5 - Past forms lingua house
Innovation in Learning

A A A A ENGLISH GRAMMAR

3 Modal verbs for certainty, possibility and expectation

Study the table below.

Modal verb Past forms and examples

must must have + past participle
Norman wasn't at home. He must have been on his way to work.

can't can't have + past participle

Andrew can't have missed his train. He got there 10 minutes early.

may / may not may/may not have + past participle

Robert isn't usually so rude. He may have been tired.
Dan didn't say hello. He may not have seen me.

might / might not might/might not have + past participle

I'm not totally sure, but I think the match might have started already.
"Why wasn't John at the meeting?" "He might not have known about it."

could / couldn't could/couldn't have + past participle

Why didn't you answer the phone? It could have been Anne.
NOTE: couldn't have + past participle has a similar meaning to
can't have + past participle:
James couldn't have been on holiday. I saw his wife at the supermarket.
(= it is not possible that James was on holiday.)

should / shouldn't should/shouldn't have + past participle

Where's George? He should have been here an hour ago.
The price shouldn't have been $10. It's usually much more.

Dialogue
A: Where's Carol? She should have been here an hour ago.
B: She might not have known about the meeting.
A: She must have known. I sent everyone a text message.
B: Her phone may have been switched off.
LE

3/5
AB

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Modal verbs 5 - Past forms lingua house
Innovation in Learning

A A A A ENGLISH GRAMMAR

4 Must or can't
Complete the following sentences with the past form of must or can't.

1. I didn't hear you come in last night. I (be) asleep.

2. Allie doesn't look very happy. Her interview (go) well.
3. I didn't receive your email. You (send) it to the wrong address.
4. I heard that Julie passed all her exams. She (be) delighted.
5. Mike's first day at work (be) easy. His new boss is very demanding.
6. Look at Paul's new sports car. It (cost) him a fortune.

5 Should/shouldn't have
Yesterday was a very strange day. A lot of unexpected things happened. Read the sentences below and
look at the pictures. Write a sentence about what should or shouldn't have happened in each picture.

1. Jack had never played chess before.

Jack shouldn’t have won (win) a game of chess.
2. The contract was carefully checked by the director.
There (be) so many mistakes in the contract.
3. Mr Faber ordered an ipad.
Mr Faber (receive) a laptop.
4. The weather forecast predicted sun.
It (be) sunny.
5. Mario locked his front door before he went out.
Mario's front door (be) open.
6. Before the start of the race, nobody gave Derek a chance of winning.
Derek (lose) the race.
LE

4/5
AB

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Modal verbs 5 - Past forms lingua house
Innovation in Learning

A A A A ENGLISH GRAMMAR

6 Practice
Make a sentence about each situation using a past modal verb structure. More than one structure may
be possible in some of the sentences.

1. It is possible that Bill was out of town.

Bill may/might/could have been out of town.

2. It is not possible that Jane knew about my birthday party.

Jane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. I'm certain that Joseph was responsible for the mistake.

Joseph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. It is possible that Andrew did not hear the news about his brother.

Andrew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. It is strange that nobody called me yesterday.

Somebody . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. It is impossible that you saw me last weekend. I was on holiday.

You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7. I'm sure the politician knew that he was going to lose the election.

The politician . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8. It is strange that it was so cold last month. Normally August is a very hot month.

It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . so cold in August.
9. Her Russian is excellent. It is possible that she had a very good teacher.

Her Russian is really excellent. She . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

10. It is strange that Nick was in Paris. He booked a flight to Rome.

Nick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in Paris. He . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in Rome.

LE

5/5
AB

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2- Practice

2. Kate shouldn't have forgotten to invite Ross.

3. The students weren't allowed to use dictionaries during the exam. / The students couldn't use
dictionaries during the exam.
4. Peter needn't have brought his umbrella.
5. Clark shouldn't have told Maria that he was quitting his job.
6. I wasn't allowed to park in front of the bank. / I couldn't park in front of the bank.
7. I had to park 100 metres from the bank.
8. Keith shouldn't have eaten so much.
9. Mark needn't have trained so hard.
10. David didn't have to get up early. / David didn't need to get up early.

4- Must or can't

1. must have been

2. can't have gone
3. must have sent
4. must have been
5. can't have been
6. must have cost

5- Should/shouldn't have

2. shouldn't have been

3. shouldn't have received
4. should have been
5. shouldn't have been
6. should have lost

6- Practice

2. Jane can't/couldn't have known about my birthday party.

3. Joseph must have been responsible for the mistake.
4. Andrew may/might not have heard the news about his brother.
5. Somebody should have called me yesterday.
6. You couldn't/can't have seen me last weekend. I was on holiday.
7. The politician must have known that he was going to lose the election.
8. It shouldn't have been so cold in August.
9. She might/may/could have had a very good teacher.
10. Nick shouldn't have been in Paris. He should have been in Rome.
LE

i
AB

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